Because there’s no place quite like the Great British high street – from its niche independents, to seasonal Pop-Ups and those expansive yet elegant department stores – Because Magazine is on a mission to champion the bricks-and-mortar of London in all its glory. Each week, we’ll beeline to the rails of our favourite retailers to scope out the must-have pieces and in-store exclusives that are more than worth making an effort for. This week, we're at the atelier of denim behemoth, Levi’s, to nose around bespoke orders in the works.

Personalisation has been on the ‘up’ for sometime. And one brand to leverage this with their bespoke service and face-to-face customer consultations is Levi’s Strauss & Co. The process of choosing denim to in-house fittings can take up to 18 weeks to perfect – and with a variety of classic and unusual denim, the jeans can be customised in myriad ways.

From humble beginnings with the blue jean in the 19th Century, Levi Strauss & Co has become a household name for their denim and everyday apparel with products sold in over 110 countries worldwide.

At the helm of personalisation in the UK is the brand’s London-based atelier, Lot1, which gives customers the opportunity to oversee the design process from start-to-finish – customising as you please, from pockets to threads or leather patches. Intrigued to find out more, we paid Master Tailor, Elizabeth Radcliffe, a visit to spy on three one-off pieces in the works.



What… Rainbow Fleck Denim.

Because… “The customer has gone with the rainbow fleck denim – a bright teal with lilac stitching – as it really brings out the artwork. They also went with the liberty pocketing on the inside. This style features a cropped peg leg style, high rise and a zip fit, which women tend to want more than men as it's cleaner across the front.”



What… White Jeans.

Because… “These jeans are very high rise. The pockets aren’t cut for this pair as the customer wanted to decide on the rise after she had seen them. If we know that in advance then we can allow for alterations. They have a super skinny ankle, but have left the thigh relatively lose.”

 

What… Wide Leg Jeans.

Because… “Recently, wide leg jeans have become increasingly popular. Chanel had a similar pair with the ‘C’ going up the legs in denim on denim – this could be where the wide leg has come from. We can work with the wide leg in certain denims or denims which are pre-washed. We would need to have a bit of hang so that they have movement in it and do a trouser hem rather than a jean hem.”

Make an appointment via mastertailorlondon@levi.com to create your own bespoke piece. Alternatively, shop the wider Levi's offering via levi.com.

Also on Because Magazine:

+ Get suited and booted with Bianca Jagger's #iconique white suit look. 

+ Church's Leather Sandals are bastions of British style.

+ Discover last week's Store Stories – the multi-sensorial experience that is Earl of East.